1842 replies to this topic

[CounterWeight]

Yet another 2020 change that will alter my knee jerk responses to some questions.  Along the lines of "join a local astro club and attend their star parties"

[fate187]

By chance I wanted to check the status of the new Annals of the Deep Sky Vol. 8. On the facebook site I read, that Willmann will be closed . I also have a number of books in my book shelve, all very special and not to be found elsewhere. I hope some publisher will pick up where Willmann left. I hope the Annals series will continue  

[feuniks]

For those within the EU it seems like AstroShop still has copies of the existing Annals..

 

Sadly, not the Night Sky Observer's Guide which have been on my wishlist for quite some time now.. 

Robtics, Telescope Service and Intercon have copies of the Night Sky Observer's Guide, although part 4 is harder to find. Only Telescope Service list volume 4.

Edited by feuniks, 29 October 2020 - 03:53 AM.

[obrazell]

For those in Europe the Webb Soc still has a few copies of NSOG V1 and 2. Although we could ship to the US I tihnk costs would be very high. We are not increasing our prices.

 

Owen

[Napp]

Camera Concepts is showing some stock on their website.

[FrenchStar]

Camera Concepts is showing some stock on their website.

Yep, good selection! Thanks for sharing. But they don't have Volume 7 of the Annals series... :-(

[BwanaBob]

Thanks for the tip.  NSOG Vol 3 secured!

[BwanaBob]

Yep, good selection! Thanks for sharing. But they don't have Volume 7 of the Annals series... :-(

I would hope that when W-B figure a way to sell off their newly printed Vol 8, that they would also allow final purchases of any of the other volumes they may still have in stock.  Fingers crossed.

[Steve Cox]

I would hope that when W-B figure a way to sell off their newly printed Vol 8, that they would also allow final purchases of any of the other volumes they may still have in stock. Fingers crossed.

He may have already liquidated any stock and that’s what’s online for sale now.

[Pat42]

😥 Bought all mirror making books from them and always had books from them on my Christmas list. My wife and son always asked if I wanted any certain ones for birthdays 😥

Patrick

[pugliano]

Camera Concepts is showing some stock on their website.

Thanks! Ordered my Messier Marathon book at a normal, sane price.

[jcj380]

An excellent book, which I unfortunately sold a long time ago, now with its price obscenely inflated.

 

https://www.amazon.c...MH7D924CK7NV6FV

Holy Jamoly! 

 

I found a used copy a year or so ago for around $25.  I was considering selling it for $15 plus shipping to thin my shelves.  Maybe it's better to hoard it for awhile.  LOL.

Edited by jcj380, 30 October 2020 - 10:45 AM.

[pugliano]

Holy Jamoly! 

 

I found a used copy a year or so ago for around $25.  I was considering selling it for $15 plus shipping to thin my shelves.  Maybe it's better to hoard it for awhile.  LOL.

I don't understand people charging those insanely inflated prices. I mean, $488?? Who in their right mind would ever pay that?! I can see someone maybe doubling the price to $50, but $488? That's ridiculous! It doesn't even stand a chance of selling at that price.

 

I'm glad you found it when you did! It's a very good book.

 

And thanks again to Napp for the tip.

Edited by pugliano, 30 October 2020 - 10:58 AM.

[John Vogt]

Robtics, Telescope Service and Intercon have copies of the Night Sky Observer's Guide, although part 4 is harder to find. Only Telescope Service list volume 4.

What's the link for Telescope Service?

 

Thanks!

[Starman1]

What's the link for Telescope Service?

 

Thanks!

https://www.teleskop...uide&suchdas=OK

[RocketScientist]

There sure seems to be a big jump in prices on the used market now. Not surprising.

 

Maybe the hobby is not as small as many here believe.

 

The issue is not high demand, but low supply. And while we like to blame the scalpers, they really aren't the issue.

 

If you look at books where the price asked is insane, 5X or more of the new price, you'll nearly always see that only one or two are for sale at that price.  In other words, there is no healthy market of actual readers or users selling the item. This often happens when owners are very satisfied with the book or atlas, and simply don't want to sell, period.

 

If you look at items where there is plenty of used stock available, the scalper listings probably won't even be in the first page of listings (sorted by price). This is what an efficient market looks like.

 

So high prices asked in the used market don't really indicate a bunch of pent-up demand, and are not a good justification for bringing an item back into print.  (No matter how much observers may want it to be!)  Astrobooks are a perfect example of a thinly-traded market, with few buyers, few sellers, and relatively few copies available.

Edited by RocketScientist, 30 October 2020 - 01:15 PM.

[FrenchStar]

The issue is not high demand, but low supply. And while we like to blame the scalpers, they really aren't the issue.

 

<...snip...>

I agree. These books are not that easy to find because of the limited market. The Willmann-Bell books are not that easy to find.

 

For example, the Star Clusters book is easy to find in the used market for $150 (which is insane!). It took me a few days to find a retailer who sells this title for the "normal price" ($34.95). So, demand has nothing to do with it because if it did, it would be impossible to find copies at regular prices.

 

That is why I am concerned about the future of such publications.

[obrazell]

You migth want to try the Webb Society and see what stock they have.

 

Owen

[Upstate New Yorker]

Hi,  I was just about to pull the trigger on both Uranometria Volumes plus the acetate overlay, but I suppose that the closing of the business marks paid to this idea.  I'm not willing to pay much higher prices on the secondary market.  But if the closing was this sudden, it seems to me that a physical inventory of all the Willmann-Bell books must still exist with the publisher, if a way could be found to access it.

 

I also want to echo the praise that the company has been getting.  In many ways I find reading about astronomy more convenient than going out in my backyard in Orlando, Florida to observe.  Meeting them in person, I found the Remaklus's a real pleasure to speak with at the occasional NEAF conferences that I used to attend during my days in New York.  They were very classy people with a gentle sense of humor.  They also made great products that were built to last.  

Edited by Upstate New Yorker, 30 October 2020 - 05:20 PM.

[GeneT]

Yes--sad! They have served me well for several years. I am going to miss them. 

[helpwanted]

Now is a good time to start visiting used bookstores, they don’t know about high demand and values, I’ve picked up books that were long out of print for $20, that online they would be over 100

[pugliano]

What's the link for Telescope Service?

 

Thanks!

This place says it will be available in about 25 days.

 

https://www.firstlig...and-4-book.html

[RocketScientist]

But if the closing was this sudden, it seems to me that a physical inventory of all the Willmann-Bell books must still exist with the publisher, if a way could be found to access it.

Maybe it will turn up at a dealer. But out of curiosity, I did a pretty thorough web search this afternoon, and I was unable to find a copy of Uranometria All Sky Edition, new or used, at any price. Lots of sites list it, but all show out of stock. I suspect most were simply drop-shipping through W-B without carrying any inventory.

 

Just in Time inventory strikes again. :-(

 

So if the remaining Uranometria atlases that W-B are going elsewhere to be sold, they haven't shown up anywhere I've looked.

[pugliano]

Maybe it will turn up at a dealer. But out of curiosity, I did a pretty thorough web search this afternoon, and I was unable to find a copy of Uranometria All Sky Edition, new or used, at any price. Lots of sites list it, but all show out of stock. I suspect most were simply drop-shipping through W-B without carrying any inventory.

 

Just in Time inventory strikes again. :-(

 

So if the remaining Uranometria atlases that W-B are going elsewhere to be sold, they haven't shown up anywhere I've looked.

https://www.bintel.c...?v=322b26af01d5

 

https://www.teleskop...ky-edition.html

 

https://maisonastron...ometria-allsky/

Edited by pugliano, 31 October 2020 - 09:13 AM.

[Astroman007]

Apologies if posted elsewhere.  Do hope I am misinterpreting the message

 

https://www.willbell.com/Default.htm

Very sad.